I performed at the marriage of Cleo Rose Brock-Abraham and James Andrew Talbot on 22nd October 2016 at St. Peter’s Church in Sibton, Suffolk. Leos Strings [@Leos_Strings] performed music as the wedding guests arrived at the church. As the family entered, they played Bach’s ‘Air on the G String’ and a processional ‘Trumpet Tune’ by Purcell was performed for the entrance of the bridesmaids and flower girls.

We performed the 'Prince of Denmark’s March' by Jeremiah Clarke for the entrance of the bride. After a thoughtful service, the couple had chosen to walk out of the church to an arrangement of 'Crazy Love' by Van Morrison.

Sibton Park, just a short distance from St. Peter’s Church, was the venue for the reception. Leos Strings provided an hour-long programme of background music during a drinks reception at this stylish venue, before I was asked to perform a number of fanfares on the natural trumpet to invite guests from the fine manor house outside into a very elegant marquee.

As the guests walked past me, I played fanfares by Dauverné, Bach, Messing and others. I played from memory and improvised other fanfares as guests walked from the house into the marquee. At one point when I was playing, I became aware that I was being filmed in close proximity on a camera phone. The camera-work began with a landscape side-profile shot on the right side of my face. The photographer panned past my embouchure, along the side of the trumpet - following the mouthpiece down the leadpipe, past the block and pummel and down to the bell. Fluidly, the photographer rotated and tilted the camera to orbit the bell, then changed direction to follow the profile of the top of the trumpet - from the bell back up towards the mouthpiece. At the last moment, the photographer tailed off to my left side, just as I finished playing the fanfare. I hadn’t yet looked directly at the camera, nor at the photographer - in favour of concentrating on what I was playing. As I finished, I looked round and smiled at the beaming face of an exceptionally famous film director. There were a number of famous guests at the wedding.

After I had finished playing at the wedding I stayed in a wonderful B&B, called Sutherland House in Southwold. I spent the weekend there with my girlfriend and we explored the Suffolk coastline on Sunday.

Thanks to Leos Strings and to the wedding planners and congratulations to the happy couple!